Zampa’s pitch to selectors for Sri Lanka tour

White-ball weapon Adam Zampa would love to make his Test debut in Sri Lanka next year but concedes it would likely be as the third spinner after he reminded selectors of his desire to be picked with a rare first-class appearance for NSW.

Zampa, 32, has played 200 white-ball games for his country but has yet to play a Test match despite boasting a brilliant record in limited-overs cricket.

Working against him is that Nathan Lyon has taken more than 500 Test wickets, while Zampa has only played 41 first-class matches and has predominantly featured in T20 leagues around the world.

But there is an opportunity for him to finally get a crack in Sri Lanka next January, with spin likely to dominate that series.

Lyon will be one of the first players picked, while Travis Head’s off spin will be more than useful over there. Selectors will then look to left-armer Matt Kuhnemann, who turns it away from the bat and played in India last year, while Todd Murphy and Corey Rocchiccioli are also in the mix.

It’s why Zampa wanted to get a Sheffield Shield game in for NSW this week, with the leg-spinner claiming four wickets against Tasmania at the SCG as he got some valuable miles into the legs as opposed to bowling just four overs.

“I’m certain of the fact that finger spin is going to be really important over there,” he said.

“We’ve got ‘Gaz’ (Lyon) and ‘Heady’ who bowl really well over there, and left-arm spin typically does well over there.

“I see myself if I do play over there that it’s potentially as a third spinner, maybe one quick and you play one of each (type of spin). I don’t see myself being the second spinner over there.

“I think you’ll have a finger spinner turning it away from the bat – that’s how I see it – because that tends to have more success in the subcontinent. You saw that in India (in the NZ series) and Sri Lanka where the wickets are going to spin.

“If I do play, I think it’ll be as the third spinner.”

Zampa has had brief conversations with chief selector George Bailey about his role but says his career won’t be defined by whether he plays Test cricket.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a total burning desire. It’s something I’d like to do and challenge myself at,” he said when asked about the five-day format.

“If I got to end my career and it didn’t pan out that way then I’d be OK with it.

“I might look back one day and feel like maybe I didn’t give it a 100 per cent crack, and I feel like playing these games and putting my hand up for the Sri Lanka tour and being keen for that is fine.

“But I’ve been in this position in the past where they’ve talked about three or four spinners going away, but it hasn’t gone my way, and I’ve been disappointed about it. This time might be similar, but I’ve dealt with it before, so it’s fine.”

While his first-class record is modest – 115 wickets at an average of 46.56 – Zampa explained his “100 per cent” comment and how his game has evolved over the years in different conditions that have helped him become a more dangerous bowler.

“It was circumstance, but also I was eager to play a lot of first-class cricket when I was young, but I probably wasn’t good enough. I probably wasn’t bowling well enough and wasn’t as confident as I am now,” he said.

“I feel like the last few games that I’ve played in first-class cricket that I’ve been able to control the game a bit better.

“Being able to have a bit more resilience on day one wickets when you’re trying to hold up an end and do that is something I feel I’m better at these days.

“It’s so hard because if I do play Test cricket then I know it’s not going to be in Australia, it’s going to be in the subcontinent, so it’s irrelevant what the wicket is like.

“It (being more resilient) is a mental thing and there’s less anxiety around it. I can come to these games (Sheffield Shield) and with my schedule I know I’m not going to play eight games in a row, so I can get into my work and come with a lot of energy for one game.

“It also comes from having a lot more confidence in my skill. I reckon when I was younger and was playing a lot of first-class cricket, I bowled a lot more bad balls than I do now.

“I wasn’t confident with my own reading of the game, whereas now I feel like I can read guys a lot better and have less mental fog.”